Hero
by September Samstar
Summary: I need hero-to save me now.I need a hero to save my life, a hero will save me just in time. Whose gonna fight for what's right? Whose gonna help us survive?-Bridget needs a hero to save her; held as a toy and a joke to her captors based off skillet-hero
1. Toy

Imagine a desolate field. In the center was a huge hill. On that hill is a pole and tied to that pole is me. My captors, they do this for fun. Having me as a toy wasn't enough, I was their bait, their fake damsel in distress. If anyone came, the guys with guns surrounding will shoot them. Kindness will kill you in this game.

Duct tape prevents me from screaming out, to prevent them from their doom. It's not like they could hear me anyway. Sometimes, I can't help but feel some small semblance of relief when someone comes. When they do, my captors take me down and feed me. If no one comes by, I will starve to death. I hate myself for it, but sometimes I am past feeling; my main goal is making it through the night.

* * *

I've been up here for two days. It's raining right now, and I want to lap it up so bad; the stupid duct tape. Suddenly I see a flash of blonde. My head sinks. At this point, I'm passed survival. Why would I want to? Every night is hell, every day is the same. Four figures in black run up the hill, so low to the ground they remind me of the spider that ever so slowly climbed up to bit me yesterday and there was nothing I could do about it. Gunfire erupts all around them, but they seem to carrying bullet shields in sucha way that none of them fall to the ground hurt. I don't understand. How do they know? They actually make it up the hill. Kneeling before me, they cover what they can of themselves with their shields.

"Are you alright miss?" I don't reply (for obvious reasons) and the one who spoke's eyes widen. I'm beaten and bloody, but I'm use to it; I guess he isn't. Wairly he raises up and the rest of them go into what looks like some type of formation to protect him as he starts to work on my chains. His eyes are startlingly blue; I've never seen them in that color before. Somehow this thought scratches at the back of my mind. Something isn't right. I look over the rest of the group, too exhausted to think. One of them has at least two guns in his hands which surprises me. They knew what was coming. Another has dark brown hair, and they fourth startlingly red eyes. A stray bullet from those who try to kill them strikes my arm and I cry out.

"Dude, it would be totally unawesome for us-well, me especially-to be shot right now. Can we go?" Carefully the one with blue eyes unties me, taking special care of my arm. Cradling me, he gets in the middle of the others, protecting me on all sides from the bullets that continue to fly.

"Vait." He pulls a gun from his side. It's not just any gun, massively huge and extremely powerful; I swear that it has to be a machine gun. How did I not see it before. I must really be loosing it. Suddenly it bursts to life, shooting hard; aimed to kill my captors. Faintly I smile. It's about time they had it coming to them. Then I fade out.

* * *

to be continued...

So, guess who the mysterious 4 are.


	2. German Brotherhood

Germany's POV.

She looks so tiny on the cot. It's amazing, not just what she went through, but that we even made it out alive. When I first saw her, my first thought was to run up there and get her down. I don't know what, but something made me look around before making the dash. I guess having the history of being such a great military power has contributed to my wariness, and it saved my life. Seeing the snipers made me realize this was so much more serious than it looked at first, which was bad enough.

Who was I supposed to call? There was no way I could do it by myself, the snipers were on both sides; ready to tear me to pieces. My first thought was my Axis friends, however Italy was not cut out for this mission and Japan was over at America's house for vacation. She needed help now. Running through the countries in my phone, suddenly I had an idea. Quickly I called up my German brothers, Rodriech, Vash, and Gilbert. It's been so long since we have gotten together to do anything; Vash is so withdrawn; Rodriech, self-absorbed; and Gilbert annoys the hell out of me. But we used to be close, and I knew I could count on them.

As soon as they could they came over to where I was hidden, in sight of the girl. Quickly I told them the plan. They all nodded and agreed to go in. There was nothing, no fear, no fighting; it was just like when we were younger. And we did it. Somehow we grabbed her. Busting out my gun on them on them felt so good. Looking at her, all I could wonder is how could someone be so cruel to hurt a girl like that? Afterwards we ran like hell; they gave chase for a while, but eventually they gave up.

Now here I am staring at her, and something is nagging at me. She looks so familiar.

"Hey, shouldn't you be getting some sleep. Roddy said she was willing to take a turn." Gilbert's sudden kindness surprised me. Maybe he's changed…

"No I didn't, you did."

"Now you're lying." Nope, he still hasn't.

"Shut up." Both Vash and I growled. Then we looked at each other, shook our heads, and smiled.

"It's funny how everything is still the same." Rodriech walked in the room and laughed.

"Yeah." Then he sat down on the couch across from me. "Do you ever miss it?" We all avoid each other's eyes.

"No."

"Of course not."

"What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, I was just being stupid." We awkwardly sit for a minute.

"So why do you think she was like that? Why do you think there were those snipers?"

"I don't know, but she could be faking it, and is now going to kill us in our sleep." Nervously we all laugh.

"For your information, she isn't faking it. From the looks of things she's been abused and hasn't been fed or given anything to drink since the broth I gave her an hour ago." We all look up at Lilly as she sweeps into the room. "You all have issues." She goes and leans against Vash in the corner opposite me looking so much older than her 12 years. When we got back, she quickly got the girl cleaned up as best she could under the circumstances and fed her some broth, I guess. The guys and I were taking a shower changing into some clothes and in Gilbert's case, pigging out on my best wurst. I'm going to kill him later, but I'll savor the peace while I can. "Why don't you guys go get some rest, considering you just stormed a castle-mountain-thingy, whatever and it's 12 o'clock. I'll sleep down here if she wakes up."

"That's a good idea Lilly. I need to get my awesome beauty sleep."

"Yeah, maybe I can come up with my missing inspiration for the song you interrupted me from writing."

"Are you sure you'll be ok Lilly?"

"Yeah Vash. You guys go one ahead." She plants a kiss on his forehead and awkwardly he pats her head.

"Thanks Lilly," I say. The others go in my guest bedrooms, Gilbert in his room, and me in mine. I take off my shirt because of the heat. Apparently the cold will make it hard on Rodriech's hands to play tomorrow, so he actually had the audacity to turn up the heat. I don't know how long the idea of German brotherhood is going to last.

* * *

**So, with a growing sense of familiarity between ludwig and Bridget, so much is due to happen in the next chapter... I should have another update really soon (Like tomorrow-maybe)**


	3. Memories

I get into bed, slightly sweating in the heat. Letting my mind wander, I think on several things (like how I'm gonna kill Gilbert and when I can finally buy some more good wurst). No matter what I do think though, my mind always comes back to the girl. She has a large noticeable freckle on her nose; I know I've seen it on someone before. I still can't remember though. Despite the intense situation we just found ourselves in, I still cannot keep the adrenaline going long enough for me to figure it out, and soon I find myself drifting into a troubled sleep.

_I'm walking with Gilbert through open gates. It's raining hard; both of us have on our heavy military coats. Suddenly we are in the middle of a graveyard. My throat constricts. Not just any graveyard, a WW2 soldier graveyard. Carefully I begin to pick my way over to one, not by my own willpower but a strange force. Gilbert silently follows me. It's strange at first, but then again he was silent when this happened for real. This isn't just a dream, it's a memory._

_White crosses surround me in neat lines. When we reach the one I know so well, I can't help but sink to my knees in front of it. With slightly shaking hands I reach out and rub the layer of grime off of the nameplate. Private Johan Wassinger. I never cry, I barely even know how, but a few rebels fall out as I remember the man who saved my butt more times than I can count. He was never a fanatic, just trying to survive and feed his family. But instead I had to. _

_Suddenly the scene switches and we are across the street in another graveyard. This one though the white cross soldiers has been exchanged for golden Stars of David. Still kneeling, I want to sink into the earth and disappear. Uncharacteristically Gilbert sticks a hand on my shoulder._

"_You need to stop blaming yourself West. What's done and gone is in the past. It wasn't even your fault."_

"_Everything is my fault." I've seen the way the other countries look at me, the way they still clutch the weapons they bring. East is about to reply when we hear the shriek of kids. Not just any kids; on the day there was a whole busload of orphans on a history field trip. Just as I wondered then I wonder now: What are children doing here? _

_One child wasn't screaming with the others. She had what looked like a bouquet of flowers and she was slowly and methodically putting one on each star. Pretty soon she came over to where we were. With the innocence of an eight year old she looked at me quizzically._

"_Why are you so sad mister?" I look up at this girl; she has no idea about half of it. I struggle to put back on my smile. _

"_It's nothing." Hesitantly I look back at her. Talking lately hasn't been my strong suit. I've long since given up trying to get anything accomplished at world meetings. I can scare everyone into silence, but I don't want that. "I think it's wonderful what you are doing."_

"_You know what my mommy used to say? She said the dead should be honored, but she didn't want me to cry when she went to join them. They aren't happy when you cry. They're happy when you are. She told me she would be happy if I was." I look back up at her, but instead of an eight-year-old child I see a mature nineteen-year-old woman that I just rescued, saying the words that got me through the last 11 years. Just as the child did that day, mutely she hands the star a flower and moves on._

"_Wait, don't go…" I struggle to get up, to run after her, to ask her everything, but everything goes black. I yell, but all that calls back to me is the echo of my own voice._

Suddenly I'm back in my room, gasping and heaving for breath. I swear Rodriech jacked up the heat again, but I can't feel it because I'm covered in a cold sweat. The same wise child that gave me hope was treated terribly for who knows what reason.

After WW2, I sank into a depression. My brother came back as East Germany, but nothing could get me out. I never really got over the atrocities committed in my land, my country, myself. I still can't but back then it was so bad I couldn't eat, sleep, or even breathe some days. I had some really good bosses them, like Karl Adenaur, and they left me alone for the most part, which was some relief. When I first spoke to that girl, I was making my yearly visit to graveyards. I just couldn't let go. But somehow and orphan child had more strength than I did, and it helped me to end my pain. I couldn't focus on my pain, the past was the past, and there was nothing I could do to change it.

I have to go talk to her; I have to know if she is the one. Quickly I throw off my blanket and ran downstairs.

* * *

**A/N So, I know a depressed Germany is pretty sad. But that's the story. Soooo, let's see what is going to happen...**


	4. Discussion

Softly I walk downstairs. When I reach the bottom I find Lily fast asleep. But the girl is gone. Panicking, I give up on stealth and race around the house, trying to find her. What if they followed us, what if Vash is right, what if she will kill us in our sleep? I sprint to the kitchen, the first place she would go to get a weapon. I collide with her head on and knock her to the ground. Her screams I quickly muffle.

"Why are you here?" Her eyes are wide with terror, and she is shaking so bad.

"I was hungry." As if on cue her stomach grumbles painfully. I can feel her bones under me, ready to crack at any second. She looks so scared, this can't be a façade. Carefully I get up. She backs into a corner and sinks to the ground, hands ready to ward off blows. She doesn't even try to run, but she keeps her eyes on me the whole time. Oh, God, what have I done? I feel like a brick wall just hit me. Hesitantly I reach out my hand.

"I'm so sorry, it's just I didn't know if I could trust you. This whole situation is rather weird, don't you think?" She doesn't accept my hand, but a small amount of fear seems to be gone. "What do you want to eat?" Silence on her end. I debate about whether to scoot forward or not. Throwing aside my fear I grab the first thing in the fridge, and apple, and give it to her, sitting next to her. She shrinks from me, but takes the apple. Slowly she takes a bite, but speeds them up as the hunger takes over. When she finishes I take the core and throw it away. When I come back she speaks.

"Thank you." Her voice hasn't changed, that is just that nail on the coffin. "I'm sorry I scared you." Her apology stops me cold.

"Why are you apologizing? I'm the one that attacked you." She looks down. Her chocolate brown hair falls over one shoulder revealing scars on her shoulders. I can't stop myself; I reach out and touch them. She stiffens, and I pull my hand away."What's your name? How did this happen to you?"

"My name is Bridget." Struggling to form words, she leans her head back. Tears stream down her cheeks. "Is it true? Is it safe, or are you no better than them?" I wince. I will regret this day for the rest of my life.

"Bridget, my name is Ludwig. My friends and I are perfectly safe." She raises an eyebrow. "Honest. I didn't trust you before, I'm so sorry about that. I really don't want you to be hurt." The tears still stream, but she nods.

"I've been an orphan all my life. I never wanted to really be adopted by any of the people that "wanted" me, so after each failed interview, I was sent to another orphanage. Eventually I was sent to one of the more shady ones, I guess you could call it. They sold me to some men at the age of 16, and for the last 3 years I have been their slave, their toy." She chokes on the word toy. Oh no, they did not do this to her. "Sometimes when they got bored they would tie me to that pole. Whoever came would have to rescue me. There was no cell service, no way for them to get help. When they came up the hill they were shot in cold blood. Just because they were trying to help me; just because my captors were bored." She's crying for real now, and I gently pull her into my arms. I don't know why my cell worked that day, but I'm so glad it did. This torment needed to end.

"Do you remember when you were eight, and you went on a field trip to visit a Holocaust grave site? You met two men and told one of them that the dead doesn't rejoice in tears?" I feel a small nod on my shoulder and the shock waves going through her body. "That was me." She looks up. "You were the wisest kid I've ever met." Softly she grins. "What you did helped beyond what you will know. But would you be willing to let us help you like you helped me?" Again she nods.

"What the hell is going on down here? We heard some banging earlier." Roderich, Vash, and Gilbert poke their heads around the corner.

"Where's the girl?" Lily's eyes are wide but still tinged with sleepiness. When they see us they stop cold. When they finally got over their shock and surprise, the story had to be retold. By the time they finished questioning, it was 5 am. Bridget fell asleep and I carried her to cot, while the rest of them nurse cups of coffee, stunned. We all quickly agree to take her in and to pay a visit to her captors.

Kindness came a full circle that day. Not only did Bridget erase my pain, she revived German brotherhood, something we haven't really had in a while. I guess I we rescued her, but that was only by a stroke of luck, or something else. Whatever it be, stroke of luck, God, or fate, I am thankful for tt.


End file.
